Also, don't forget that if you have a kitschy, kooky, and ooky event here (or near) the Pittsburgh area and want us to get the word out emailus ALL the details (a few weeks in advance please) and we'll do our best to spread the word. Until then...

Stay Smokin,

Hot-Toddy

Co-Founder / Pittsburgh Underground

Friday, April 23, 2010

Artsy Fartsy: Frazetta Siblings Fight Over Fantasy Art

Cat-Girl (Meeeow! This print hangs in my bedroom!)

The gang here at good ol' PU have had the opportunity to visit the famed Frank Frazetta Art Museum located in East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania where we were fortunate enough to have met and talked with Frank's lovely wife, Ellie just before she had died in 2009 (a wonderful lady who was kind enough to review our sketchbooks with high praise - a humbling moment for us all). Ellie was the brains behind the wonderful museum - it was her pride and joy which is why this story is so heartbreaking for the gang here at good ol' PU (don't worry, it has a happy ending).

(Click Below To Continue...)

The Frank Frazetta Museum Exterior and Interior Shots

For those not familar with his work, Frank Frazetta is the famous illustrator who's done just about everything - comic books (Buck Rogers, Johnny Comet, Flash Gordon, Mad Magazine, Playboy, Vampirella), to movie posters (What's New Pussycat?, The Fearless Vampire Killers, Luana, The Gauntlet), animation (Fire and Ice, Lord of the Rings), album covers (Molly Hatchet, Dust, Nazareth, The Dead Elvi, and Wolfmother) and some of the most classic sci-fi and fantasy illustration covers ever created (Conan the Barbarian, Tarzan).

Frank's Muse Ellie - We Miss You

Frank Frazetta Jr. & His 'Hoe'

Turns out that Alfonso Frank Frazetta, 52 was arrested in December of 2009 for using a backhoe to break down the door of the museum housing artwork and took 90 paitings valued at $20 million dollars. Frank stated that he had permission from his father to take the paintings to a 'secure' location for safe storage. When contacted by police, Frank Sr. denied giving consent to Frank Jr. For more on this story, check out this article written by Howard Frank for the Pocono Record Writer.

The gang at PU also nabbed this original news story from WNEP-TV in Moosic, PA to explain what happened at the museum.

Today, the Associated Press published this article by Michael Rubinkam about events concerning the resolution over this conflict between the siblings who will now be working together to promote Frank Jr.'s legacy. Although the drama has been resolved, it must have been very stressful on Mr. Frazetta, let alone one of the weirdest stories for fans of this great artist that we've seen within the last year.

The gang at PU are pulling for you Mr. Frazetta. You're one of our heroes and a great guy who deserves better in his twilight years. Here's to you Frank - we wish you smoother sailing from here on out. We're also glad that the kids have finally worked out their differences for both Frank Sr., the fans, and for the memory of our beloved friend Ellie.